The mountain’s annual speaker series, Grandfather Presents, returns for the summer season with an inspiring slate of Thursday evening presentations. This year, all four of the scheduled presenters have authored books, and Grandfather is launching a reading list to accompany these talks.
The 2024 lineup, below, has an emphasis on those who make it their life’s mission to highlight the challenges, opportunities and good work happening around exploration, nature and conservation.
- Thursday, June 27: Extreme angler, biologist, “River Monsters” documentary TV host and author Jeremy Wade *This event is sold out.
- Thursday, July 25: Journalist, commentator and author Richard Louv
- Thursday, Aug. 15: Retired Ducks Unlimited CEO, retired director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and author Dale Hall
- Thursday, Sept. 19: Biologist, educator, ecologist, explorer and author Margaret Lowman, Ph.D., also known as “CanopyMeg”
“We invite Grandfather enthusiasts, Grandfather Presents attendees, book lovers and those always up for an adventure to join us in reading this exciting lineup of books,” said Landis Taylor, vice president of marketing and communications for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “With a 2024 speaker series filled with authors and dynamic storytellers, a summer reading list felt like a perfect pairing to Grandfather Presents.”
Whether you’re planning to attend one of these ticketed events (which will feature allotted time for guests to have their books signed) or just want to follow along with us over the next few months, check out this list of books that’s sure to spark some curiosity and wonder, with each one delving into different facets of the natural world.
Grandfather Presents 2024 Summer Reading List:
- “River Monsters” by Jeremy Wade – like his worldwide hit television series of the same name – delivers a sometimes jaw-dropping blend of adventure, natural history, legend and detective work. It reads like a hunt for the Loch Ness Monster, but it’s all true!
- “How to Think Like a Fish” by Jeremy Wade teaches the reader how to improve their own fishing skills. Sparse on the details of technique, it is about the simple, fundamental principles – a mindset for success. It’s part science, part art and part elusive something else.
- “Our Wild Calling: How Connecting with Animals Can Transform Our Lives – and Save Theirs” by Richard Louv redefines the future of human-animal coexistence by exploring our deep bonds with other animals and calling for a transformation in how we view, treat and inhabit our environment.
- “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder” by Richard Louv introduces the concept of nature-deficit disorder, describing the importance of children’s and adults’ exposure to nature for their well-being and the need for environmental protection and preservation for greater access to nature and the health of the Earth.
- “Compelled” by Dale Hall follows his journey as a young U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist thrust into the controversial world of national conservation issues and the methods used to resolve them.
- “My Appalachian Trail” by Dale Hall is an autobiography weaving together his formative Appalachian roots in eastern Kentucky with the challenges and successes of his storied career.
- “The Arbornaut” by Margaret Lowman, Ph.D., is a memoir of the author’s adventures “discovering the eighth continent in the trees above us” and her explorations of the vast abundance of life found in forest canopies.
- “The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest” by Heather Lang is a story about never giving up, perfect for readers ages 7 to 10 years old. This book, filled with colorful illustrations, tells the story of Lowman’s fascination with the natural world and her journey to protect it.
Copies of these books will be on sale at Grandfather Mountain’s Wilson Center for Nature Discovery gift shop leading up to and during the Grandfather Presents events, as supplies last.